I’ve been having some medical tests run lately to try and diagnose the chronic pain in my neck. One of the tests was faulty and had to be repeated. It involved needles and electrical current. And tears. So, when I received an $800 bill from a doctor I’d never seen-the one who read and declared the test faulty, I was mad.

It was an insurance nightmare and on my fourth frustrated phone call, I lost it.

I ranted and complained and whined to the billing lady on the other end.

It was ugly.

I was ugly.

I got off the phone and it took about 7.2 seconds for me to get the feeling. You know the one. Conviction.

Oh, but it gets worse.

I called my hubby and told him all about it. He quietly asked, “What is the doctor’s name? And the lady you griped at..her name?”

He didn’t say anything for a long time after I read the names off the piece of mail.

“Kristen, I’m a pharmaceutical rep. That’s one of my offices.”

-And now the kick in the gut-

“The girl you just told off is the same one I’ve been witnessing to and I’ve even been telling her all about Mercy House.”

She knew my name. She knew his name.

I’m sure I don’t even need to tell you how terrible I felt. I apologized to my husband. I hit redial and called the lady in the billing department back. I apologized.

Thankfully, she was gracious.

It took a while longer for me to forgive myself. I know I’m human, but I know my temper won that day and I regretted my behavior.

Life is a lesson, isn’t it? And my Father God knows how to correct me.

I learned a lot that day: When you disappoint (and you will unless you’ve got some superhuman gift):

Be quick to admit your failure.

Ask for forgiveness.

Deal with the consequences.

Repeat often.

Do you have a hard time forgiving yourself mistakes? Or when you disappoint others?

Kristen Welch

Kristen writes at her parenting blog, We Are THAT Family and is author of Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Safe Sparkly Faith is No Longer Enough and founder of The Mercy House. Follow Kristen on twitter as @WeareTHATfamily.
Author BioAuthor Website